ANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - There are only a few days left to nominate Washtenaw County high school students for the annual Young Citizens of the Year scholarship competition. The annual competition awards five area high school students $4,500 each for their outstanding community service actions outside of school-based extracurricular activities. Read more: Nominations open for 2023 Young Citizens of the YearThe award amount is $1,000 more per student compared to 2022. All Washtenaw County public and private high school students are eligible. MLive/The Ann Arbor News started Young Citizen of the Year in 1998 and continues to partner in recognizing candidates each year.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Five Washtenaw County high school students will be recognized for their outstanding community service actions. Nominations for Young Citizens of the Year, which awards students for their community service outside of school-based extracurricular activities, opens Monday, March 6. The nomination form, found here, is open through March 31. Related: 2022 Young Citizens of the Year highlight passion, volunteering in Washtenaw CountyAll Washtenaw County public and private high school students are eligible. MLive/The Ann Arbor News started Young Citizen of the Year in 1998 and continues to partner in recognizing candidates each year.

“Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited" will be unveiled inside the Morris Lawerence building at WCC on Friday, March 10, during a free reception.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation’s grants, totaling $670,000, will also help the Ypsilanti Senior Center, Journey of Faith Christian Church in Ann Arbor and Webster Township Historical Society expand their services for Washtenaw County’s older adults. The population of older adults in the United States is growing at unprecedented rates, including right here in Washtenaw County., According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 15.1% of the county’s population was 65 years and older in 2021. The foundation’s efforts were made possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. Funds will be distributed throughout a three-year program called “Creating Community Connections and Spaces” developed as a means to serve the county’s older adults. Learn more about the Ann Arbor Community Foundation here and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan here.

United Way of Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation are partnering with a national nonprofit to help families overcome their financial struggles.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – Nominations for the annual Young Citizens of the Year scholarship competition are open. Young Citizens of the Year recognizes five Washtenaw County high school students for outstanding achievement in community service activities outside of school-based extracurricular activities. “The Foundation is really excited to launch another year of the Young Citizens program,” Maryellen Ferro, AAACF community investment officer, said in a statement. Each of the five selected young citizens will be awarded a $3,500 scholarship. MLive/The Ann Arbor News started Young Citizen of the Year in 1998 and continues to partner in recognizing candidates each year.

The foundation operating the two historic theaters announced free admission for veterans and active duty military members in observation of Veteran’s Day.

Dug and Linh Song have launched a new matching campaign to support Packard Health's work within the community.

ANN ARBOR, MI — While local officials make plans for a new partnership to fund human services programs, Ann Arbor is granting $633,765 in “six-month transition funding” to nonprofit organizations that rely on public funding. Washtenaw County is kicking in another $507,500 in transition funding support for similar programs. The plan now is to finish developing a longer-term strategy for human services support, focused more intently on addressing racial equity and community trauma, said County Commissioner Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor. For the last several years, public and private entities in Washtenaw County have partnered to fund human services programs through a coordinated funding process. Amanda Carlisle, Washtenaw Housing Alliance executive director, expressed concern last month about the current coordinated funding partnership ending June 30.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) is looking for high school students interested in local leadership and civics.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – Nominations for the annual Young Citizen of the Year scholarship competition are open. Young Citizen of the Year recognizes five Washtenaw County high school students for outstanding achievement in community service activities outside of school-based extracurricular activities. The Ann Arbor News may publish comments from the nomination form if the student is selected. Each young citizen will be awarded a $3,500 scholarship. MLive/The Ann Arbor News started Young Citizen of the Year in 1998 and continues to partner in recognizing candidates each year.

ANN ARBOR – A new documentary by Washtenaw My Brother’s Keeper will premiere virtually on Sunday through a screening hosted by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation at 4 p.m. Directed by Fred Culpepper, the film documents the experience of Black men in Washtenaw County, from hopes to conflicts to thoughts and worries. Viewers will get a rare glimpse of openness and vulnerability -- and an open space where young Black men speak freely about their views and experiences, and share with mentors and peers in the community. Reminder that Washtenaw My Brother's Keeper (WMBK) documentary premieres this Sunday virtually at AAACF! AdThe partnership with WMBK has helped to guide AAACF’s EmpowerMENt Fund, which focuses on educational success and the uplifting of young Black men in Washtenaw County.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A grant given by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Vital Seniors Initiative will provide area Washtenaw County caregivers a bit of time to care for themselves. The $50,000 grant was awarded to the Area Agency on Aging 1-B and allows it to further help individuals who are taking care of friends, family and community members with dementia. The 6-bed licensed home in Ypsilanti serves individuals with dementia or who have a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. While families of those with dementia will work with Memory Lane to establish admission, the Area Agency on Aging 1-B will pay for the care and service. Read: New program aims to connect Washtenaw County caregivers to individualized support

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Watch six regional startups pitch their businesses for the chance to win $20,000. The pitch competition has been organized by the Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund and will be hosted by Dug Song, Founder of Duo Security and A2EF steering committee member. Applications for the pitch competition were open to startups serving Washtenaw and Wayne counties that focused on social impact. Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund is an initiative lead by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. Related: Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund launches pitch competition for entrepreneurs making an impact

WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. A nonprofit organization in Michigan wants caregivers in Washtenaw County to get the coaching and support that they need. Offered by Area Agency on Aging 1-B, the free Caregiver Coaching program aims to help new and experienced caregivers by providing coaching, a listening ear and vetted referrals and resources. People just look at themselves as oh Im just helping my mom, said Amy Smyth, the caregiver coordinator for Caregiver Coaching at AAA 1-B. Many resources, like support groups, happen during working hours but caregivers experience questions or crises outside those set times. Smyth said, based on Census data, there are around 58,000 family and informal caregivers in Washtenaw County; however, not everyone identifies as a caregiver, which makes it difficult for them to find support resources.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is currently accepting applications for 10 new members of its Youth Council. Made of 25 members, the youth council helps to distribute $80,000 in grants to youth-focused programs, services and projects in Washtenaw County. Youth Council members assist in the implementation of a needs-assessments every three years to reassess the changing needs of youth within the county. In 2020, $78,000 worth of AAACF Youth Council grants were refocused towards operating support for nonprofits and residents faced with impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1989, the AAACF Youth Council has had over 266 members who have awarded over $2 million in grants, assessed the needs of Washtenaw County youth and have ensured that young people in the county have representation.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is looking for new members for its youth council. Photo | Sarah M. ParletteANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is looking for young leaders in the Washtenaw County community for its Youth Council. Empowering community leaders and those curious about promoting the needs of Washtenaw County youth, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is accepting applications for open positions on its Youth Council. Photo | Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Youth Council. For more details about the council and its involvement with the community, visit the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Youth Council website.